Alexander Berthier was a prince of Neufchatel and Wagram, marshal and vice-constable of France. He was born in 1753. A son of a distinguished officer, while yet young he served in America with Lafayette, and after some years' service in France he joined the army of Italy in 1795 as general of division and chief of the general staff, receiving in 1798 the chief command. In this capacity he entered Rome, abducted Pius VI, abolished the papal government, and established a consular one.
He followed Bonaparte to Egypt as chief of the general staff; was appointed by him minister of war after the 18th Brumaire; accompanied him to Italy in 1800, and again in 1805, to be present at his coronation; and was appointed chief of the general staff of the grand army in Germany. In all Napoleon's expeditions he was one of his closest companions, on several occasions rendering valuable services, as at Wagram in 1809, when he gained the title of Prince of Wagram. After Napoleon's abdication he was taken into the favour and confidence of Louis XVIII, and on Napoleon's return the difficulty of his position unhinged his mind, and he put an end to his life by throwing himself from a window. Research Alexander Berthier
Charles was archduke of Austria. He was born in 1771 at Florence and died in 1847. The third son of the Emperor Leopold II, he distinguished himself in various campaigns, and in 1796 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Austrian army on the Rhine, and won several victories against the French. In 1805 he commanded in Italy against Massena, and won the Battle of Caldiero
but in the campaign of 1809 in Germany against Napoleon he was unsuccessful, the Battle of Wagram laying Austria at the feet of the French emperor. With that event the military career of Charles closed. He published several military works of value. Research Charles Archduke of Austria
Emmanuel Grouchy, the Marquis de Grouchy, was a French general. He was born in 1766 at Paris and died in 1847. He entered the Royal Life Guards at the age of fourteen and saw much service, and highly distinguished himself. In the war with Prussia in 1806, and Russia in 1807, and at Wagram, he acquired increased renown. In 1815 he defeated Blucher at Ligny. Having been ordered to follow the Prussian retreat, he was unable to aid Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He was banished under the second restoration, and lived for a few years at Philadelphia. He returned to France in 1821. Research Emmanuel Grouchy
Julius Jakob Haynau was an Austrian general. He was born in 1786 and died in 1853. He took part in the Battle of Austerlitz and the Battle of Wagram, and was wounded in both. He also distinguished himself in the campaigns of 1813-1815. In 1848 and 1849 he rendered valuable services to Austria against the Italians, took Brescia by storm, and visited it with unrelenting severity. He was afterwards carrying on the siege of Venice, when recalled by the emperor to Hungary. The storming of Raab, the advance southwards in the face of almost insurmountable difficulties, the siege of Szegedin, the Battle on the Theiss, followed by the capture of Temesvar, were all effected by Julius Haynau. He was very unpopular, however, on account of his severities and arbitrary measures, and in 1850 he was deprived of his powers, and retired into private life. Research Julius Haynau
Karl August Varnhagen von Ense was a German biographer and diarist. He was born in 1785 at at Dusseldorf and died in 1858. He studied medicine and philosophy at Halle and Berlin. At the age of 24 he joined the Austrian army, and was wounded at Wagram. In 1813 he transferred to the Russian army, and in 1814 entered the Prussian diplomatic service, being present at the Congress of Vienna. After leaving the public service Karl Varnhagen von Ense wrote Lives of Goethe, 1824; General von Seydlitz, 1834; and MarshalKeith, 1844 ; besides Biographische Denkmaler, 1824-30;
and Denkwurdigkeiten und Vermischte Schriften (Memoirs and Miscellaneous Writings), 1843-59. Many volumes of his correspondence and literary remains were published, including six volumes of his correspondence with his wife, 1874-75 ; Blatter aus der Preussischen Geschichte (Leaves from PrussianHistory), 1868-69; and his Tagebucher (Diaries) in 14 volumes, 1861-70. These works throw valuable light on 19th century history. Research Karl Varnhagen von Ense
Louis Nicolas Davout (Louis-Davoust) was Duke of Auerstadt and Prince of Eckmuhl, marshal and peer of France. He was born in 1770 at Annoux, in Burgundy and died in 1823. He entered the army at the age of seventeen; served with distinction under Dumouriez, and at the passage of the Rhine, in 1797. He went with Bonaparte to Egypt in 1798, and commanded the cavalry of the army of Italy in 1800. He received a marshal's baton in 1804, led the right wing at Austerlitz in 1805, and defeated the Prussians at Auerstadt in 1806. He shared the glory of Eyiau, Eckmuhl, and Wagram; was made governor of Hamburg; took part in the Russian campaign of 1812, and was wounded at Borodino. During the Hundred Days in 1815 he was Napoleon's minister of war, and after the Battle of Waterloo was appointed by the provisional government general-in-chief of the French armies. In 1819 he was a member of the Chamber of Peers. Research Louis Davout
Madame de Thebes was a French palmist and prophet. She was born in 1845 and died in 1916. She carried on a business as a palmist at her salon in the Avenue de Wagram in Paris, and each year at Christmas published prophecies which enjoyed a wide circulation. She was said to have predicted the Boer War and the Russo-Japanese War. Research Madame de Thebes
Matthieu Dumas was a French soldier and military writer. He was born in 1753 and died in 1837. At a young age he joined the French cavalry, took part in the American War of Independence, and was employed in the Levant and in Holland. At the commencement of the revolution he assisted Lafayette in organizing the national guard. On the triumph of the extreme party in 1797 Matthieu Dumas was proscribed, but made his escape to Holstein, where he wrote the first part of his Precis des Evenements Militaires, a valuable source for the history of the period of which it treats (1798-1807).
He was recalled from exile by Napoleon, who had become first consul. His first employment was to organize the reserve for the army of Italy. In 1802 he was appointed state councillor; in 1805 he became general of division, and was shortly afterwards Neapolitan minister in the service of Joseph Bonaparte. In 1808 he was actively employed in the arrangements for the war against Austria, fought in the battles of Essling and Wagram, and arranged the terms of the armistice of Znaim. He held the office of general intendant of the army in the campaign of 1812. After the restoration Louis XVIII appointed him councillor of state, and gave him several important appointments connected with the army. In 1830 he aided in bringing on the revolution of July, and after the fall of Charles X he obtained the chief command of all the national guards of France, together with a peerage. He published a translation of Napier's History of the Peninsular War. Research Matthieu Dumas
Abbreviations
Research Alexander Berthier
